Manchester United have submitted a third transfer bid for Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo worth £65m plus £5m in add-ons.
Brentford are considering the offer and are yet to make a decision.
Sky Sports News has been reporting that a new offer was expected after the previous, worth £55m plus £7.5m, was rejected several weeks ago.
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Alan Irwin discusses Manchester United’s third bid for Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo.
Mbeumo has only wanted to join United for over a month, and the club are understood to have been encouraged by his determination to join them.
The Cameroon international returned to pre-season training with Brentford earlier this week along with another player whose future is uncertain; Yoane Wissa.
United have always been hopeful of doing a deal for Mbeumo in time to take him on their tour to the United States later this month.
He has been a primary target for them this summer after signing Matheus Cunha, while they are also still in the market for a centre-forward.
Would Mbeumo exit affect Wissa’s future?
Could Yoane Wissa (right) be denied a move if Mbeumo joins Manchester United?
Should United complete a deal for Mbeumo, it could have ramifications in Newcastle‘s search for a striker.
The Magpies wanted to sign Eintracht Frankfurt forward Hugo Ekitike, but the Frenchman now wants to join Liverpool, who are expected to make a bid for the 23-year-old.
Newcastle then showed an interest in Brentford striker Wissa knowing they could miss out on Ekitike.
Sky Sports News understands it is highly unlikely that Brentford will sell both Mbeumo and Wissa this summer.
It is seen by the club as too significant a loss of attacking talent and goals after already losing their head coach Thomas Frank and captain Christian Norgaard this summer.
It means whichever club agrees a deal for either of them first would almost certainly scupper a move for the other – with both players having a year left plus an option year on their contracts.
Newcastle have stepped up their interest in Wissa in the last 24 hours after seeing Liverpool move ahead in the race Ekitike.
And it may be that this change in dynamic has led to the timing of United’s newest bid.
Analysis: Where would Mbeumo fit in at United?
What will Manchester United’s attack look like if Bryan Mbeumo joins Matheus Cunha and Bruno Fernandes at Old Trafford?
Like Matheus Cunha, who completed a £62.5m to Old Trafford from Wolves this summer, Mbeumo will be looking to turn his upward trajectory into some early form at Old Trafford.
Only Mohamed Salah won more points for his team from goals and assists than the Brentford forward. His goal contributions didn’t just put him among the league’s best in terms of numbers, but also as one of the division’s best at deciding games when it matters.
While Cunha is eyeing up that ‘left No 10’ role, Mbeumo will be targeting the spot on the right. Going back to his Sporting days, Amorim’s system always had a right-footed natural winger playing in that role – with Marcus Edwards and Francisco Trincao among those options in Lisbon.
At United, Mbeumo will want that position – but so will Amad Diallo. The 23-year-old has spent most of the Amorim era at United on the injury table but has briefly shown glimpses of being the shining light in this dark period for the club.
His goal and assist to win the Manchester derby at rivals City came from that ‘Right No 10’ position, as did his start in the Europa League final defeat, where he looked like the only player capable of breaking the deadlock against the Spurs defence.
Read more about where Bryan Mbeumo fits into United’s team here…
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